Data processor, data processing performance control method, and program

ABSTRACT

A data processor includes: a storage that stores a plurality of items of true/false determination information; a hardware processor that: receives an instruction of a data processing by a user; performs a data processing an instruction of which is received; selects a plurality of items of different true/false determination information from among the true/false determination information stored in the storage and sequentially presents the selected items of true/false determination information to a user; determines whether a user is authorized based on biological information of the user detected while the user is operating each item of true/false determination information sequentially presented; and performs a data processing when the hardware processor determines that the user is authorized, and stops performing a data processing when the hardware processor determines that the user is not authorized; and a biological information detector that detects biological information of a user who instructs a data processing.

The entire disclosure of Japanese patent Application No. 2017-118821,filed on Jun. 16, 2017, is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND Technological Field

The present invention relates to a data processor such as image formingapparatus, a data processing performance control method in the dataprocessor, and a program.

Description of the Related art

There has been conventionally well known a technique in which when aprocessing of transmitting an e-mail to an external transmissiondestination is performed as a data processing, for example, aconfirmation screen of “Did you encrypted the attached document?” ispresented before the data processing is performed in terms of security,and the data processing is performed only when the user presses thebutton “YES”.

However, there is a problem that it is not clear whether the user isauthorized to perform the data processing even by presenting theconfirmation screen on performing the data processing and by determiningwhether the button “YES” is pressed, and even if a user who is notauthorized to perform the data processing falsely presses the button“YES”, the processing is performed and a malicious data processingcannot be prevented from being performed.

On the other hand, not only original receipts but also the scanned dataof the originals is officially available for the expense processing inoffices and the like. However, there is accordingly a problem that useof other person's receipt, repeated use of receipt, falsification ofdate and payment amount, and the like are easily done.

JP 2005-95615 A proposes, as a technique for detecting changes inemotion caused when a person tells a lie, and the like at highsensitivity, and confirming changes in emotion of a subject, a methodfor measuring the pulse waves at a plurality of sites of the body of asubject, detecting the temporal differences in the pulse waves at therespective sites, and confirming changes in emotion of the subject onthe basis of the changes in the temporal differences of the pulse waves.

It is thus assumed that such a technique is applied to confirm whether auser is authorized to perform a data processing, and biologicalinformation of the user such as pulse waves is detected when the userpresses the button “YES” on the confirmation screen presented before theuser performs the data processing, thereby detecting a change in emotioncaused when a person tells a lie, and the like on the basis of thebiological information, and determining whether the user is authorizedto perform the data processing on the basis of the detection result.

However, there is a problem that even if biological information of auser is detected, the user becomes accustomed to the question if thedefinite confirmation screen is only presented once before the dataprocessing is performed, a change in biological information (change inemotion) is difficult to detect even if the user intentionally makes awrong answer to a question, and whether the user is authorized cannot beaccurately determined on the basis of the biological information.

SUMMARY

The present invention has been made in terms of such a technicalbackground, and an object thereof is to provide a data processor capableof accurately determining whether a user is authorized to performhis/her instructed data processing on the basis of biologicalinformation, a data processing performance control method, and aprogram.

To achieve the abovementioned object, according to an aspect of thepresent invention, a data processor reflecting one aspect of the presentinvention comprises: a storage that stores a plurality of items oftrue/false determination information; and a hardware processor that:receives an instruction of a data processing by a user; performs a dataprocessing an instruction of which is received; selects a plurality ofitems of different true/false determination information from among thetrue/false determination information stored in the storage andsequentially presents the selected items of true/false determinationinformation to a user after an instruction of a data processing isreceived before the data processing is performed; determines whether auser is authorized on the basis of biological information of the userdetected by a biological information detector while the user isoperating each item of true/false determination information sequentiallypresented; and performs a data processing when the hardware processordetermines that the user is authorized, and stops performing a dataprocessing when the hardware processor determines that the user is notauthorized, wherein the biological information detector is providedseparately from or integrally with the data processor and can detectbiological information of a user who instructs a data processing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features provided by one or more embodiments of theinvention will become more fully understood from the detaileddescription given hereinbelow and the appended drawings which are givenby way of illustration only, and thus are not intended as a definitionof the limits of the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a dataprocessor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operations of the data processorwhen a user instructs a data processing on the data processorillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating how true/false determinationinformation is classified and stored per type of a data processing;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operations of the data processorwhen a user instructs a data processing;

FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram when a user instructs a dataprocessing;

FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram when a proxy user instructs a dataprocessing;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating history information of the past dataprocessings; and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the dataprocessor according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, one or more embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of theinvention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a dataprocessor 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Thedata processor 1 according to the present embodiment employs a multifunction peripheral (MFP) as multi-function digital image formingapparatus having the functions such as copy function, printer function,scan function, and facsimile function. The data processor will be alsodenoted as MFP in the following description.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the MFP 1 includes a controller 100, a fixedstorage 110, an image reader 120, an operation panel 130, an imageoutput device 140, a printer controller 150, a network interface(network I/F) 160, a wireless communication interface (wirelesscommunication I/F) 170, and an authentication part 180, which aremutually connected via a system bus 175. The MFP 1 further includes abiological information detector 200 separately from the MFP 1.

The controller 100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 101, a readonly memory (ROM) 102, a static random access memory (S-RAM) 103, a nonvolatile RAM (NV-RAM) 104, and a clock IC 105.

The CPU 101 executes the operation programs stored in the ROM 102 or thelike thereby to collectively control the entire MFP 1. For example, theCPU 101 feasibly controls the copy function, the printer function, thescan function, the facsimile function, and the like. Further, accordingto the present embodiment, the CPU 101 receives a user-instructed dataprocessing using at least any function of the above functions, receivesuser's biological information detected by the biological informationdetector 200, determines whether the user is authorized to perform thedata processing or is true or whether the user is not authorized or isfalse, and controls performing the instructed data processing dependingon a determination result, which will be described below in detail.

The ROM 102 stores programs executed by the CPU 101, and other data.

The S-RAM 103 is a work area when the CPU 101 executes the programs, andtemporarily stores the programs or the data when the programs areexecuted.

The NV-RAM 104 is a nonvolatile memory backed up by a battery, andstores various settings and the like for image forming.

The clock IC 105 counts time, and functions as an internal timer tomeasure a processing time.

The fixed storage 110 is configured of a hard disc or the like, andstores programs or various items of data. Particularly according to thepresent embodiment, many questions are stored as true/falsedetermination information presented to a user who instructs a dataprocessing. The questions are classified per type of a data processing.The types of data processings are a print job of printing image dataread by the image reader 120, a scan/transmission job of transmittingimage data read by the image reader 120 to a predetermined destination,a job of reading and printing or transmitting document data stored in abox as a storage area in the fixed storage 110, and the like.

The image reader 120 includes a scanner or the like, scans and reads adocument set on a platen glass, and converts the read document intoimage data.

The operation panel 130 is used by a user for instructing jobs orperforming various settings on the MFP 1, and includes a reset key 131,a start key 132, a stop key 133, a display 134, and a touch panel 135.

The reset key 131 is used for resetting the settings, the start key 132is used for starting scanning and the like, and the stop key 133 ispressed for interrupting an operation.

The display 134 is configured of a liquid crystal display, for example,and directed for displaying messages or various operation screens, andthe touch panel 135 is formed on a screen of the display 134 and isdirected for detecting user's touch operations.

The image output device 140 is directed for printing image data of adocument read by the image reader 120 or a copied image generated fromprint data transmitted from a terminal 3 on a sheet, and outputting thesheet as a printed material.

The printer controller 150 is directed for generating a copied imagefrom print data received by the network interface 160.

The network I/F 160 functions as a communication part for exchangingdata with an external apparatus, and the wireless communication I/F 170is an interface for making wireless communication with the biologicalinformation detector 200 and the like via near field wirelesscommunication.

The authentication part 180 is directed for acquiring authenticationinformation of a user who logs in, and comparing and collating theauthentication information with the information for collation previouslystored in the fixed storage 110 or the like, thereby makingauthentication. It may be configured such that user's authenticationinformation is compared and collated with the information for collationby an eternal authentication server and authentication is made when theauthentication part 180 receives an authentication result from theauthentication server.

The biological information detector 200 is directed for detectingbiological information of a user who instructs a data processing, andtransmitting the detected biological information to the MFP 1. Thebiological information changes depending on user's emotion, and user'spulse waves are detected according to the present embodiment. Further,the biological information detector 200 can continuously detect user'sbiological information (pulse waves) substantially while the user isanswering a plurality of different questions displayed on the display134 as described below, and thus, though not limited, employs awatch-type or band-type device mounted and used by the user on the arm.The watch-type or band-type biological information detector may storethe authentication information of the user when he/she logs in, and inthis case, the biological information detector 200 is made close to theauthentication information reader in the MFP 1 when the user logs in theMFP 1 so that the MFP 1 automatically reads the authenticationinformation stored in the biological information detector 200 and makesauthentication.

Further, the biological information detector 200 may employ an apparatusfor continuously shooting the face of a user, detecting a change inheartbeat of the user on the basis of the shot images, and transmittingthe detected change in heartbeat to the MFP 1.

The operations of the MFP 1 when a user instructs a data processing onthe MFP 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 will be described below with referenceto FIG. 2. In this example, the description will be made assuming that auser-instructed data processing is that the image reader 120 reads andtransmits a receipt 300 to a predetermined transmission destination. TheMFP 1 is installed with an application dedicated for receipt processing,and is associated with an expense system (not illustrated), and thereceipt 300 read by the image reader 120 is processed in the dedicatedapplication and transmitted to the expense system.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the user logs in the MFP 1 while he/she mountsthe watch-type or band-type biological information detector 200 on thearm. When the user presses the activation button of the receiptprocessing application thereby to activate the application, and sets thereceipt 300 on the image reader 120 and presses the start key 132 afterlogging in, the MFP 1 receives the processing of reading (scanning) thereceipt and transmitting the scanned receipt to the expense system as adata processing ((1) in FIG. 2).

On the other hand, the biological information detector 200 mounted onuser's arm continuously detects the pulse waves as user's biologicalinformation, and transmits the detected pulse waves to the MFP 1 ((2) inFIG. 2). The MFP 1 receives the pulse waves via the wirelesscommunication I/F 170 immediately after the logging-in, analyzes thereceived pulse waves, and detects a change in emotion on the basis ofthe change in pulse waves.

The MFP 1 displays a question and the answer buttons for the user on thedisplay 134 of the operation panel 130 while receiving the pulse wavesafter receiving the data processing and before performing the dataprocessing. For example, a question of “Is the receipt is yours?” andthe answer buttons “YES” and “NO” are displayed. When the user pressesthe button “YES” or “NO”, a next question of “Have you already used thereceipt for a request for payment?” and the answer buttons “YES” and“NO” are displayed, for example. In this way, the MFP 1 sequentiallypresents a plurality of questions, and presents different questions anddoes not repeat the same questions such that the user unconsciouslypresses the button “YES” without reading the questions.

Further, it is desirable that a plurality of questions include questionswith correct answers reversed in order to prevent the user fromunconsciously answering. For example, an authorized user or a “true”user answers “YES” to the question of “Is the receipt yours?” ((3) inFIG. 2), and a “true” user answers “NO” to the question of “Have youalready used the receipt for a request for payment?” ((4) in FIG. 2).

Other question of “Didn't′ you rewrite data or payment amount?” may bedisplayed together with the answer buttons “YES” and “NO”. Further, theselection buttons for selecting one of “A's?”, “B's?”, and “C's” may bedisplayed for a question of “whose is the receipt?” instead of theanswer buttons “YES” and “NO”.

Further, according to the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3,the questions are classified per type of a data processing such asscan/transmission processing and copy processing, and are stored in thefixed storage 110 or the like, and a plurality of questions are selectedand displayed from among a group of questions corresponding to the typeof a data processing when the data processing is received, therebypresenting the accurate questions depending on a data processing.

While a plurality of questions are repeatedly displayed and answered,the biological information detector 200 transmits the detected user'sbiological information (pulse waves) to the MFP 1, and the MFP 1analyzes the received biological information and determines whether achange in pulse waves exceeding a threshold is present, or whether theuser is true or false ((5) in FIG. 2). When the user makes a falseanswer to a question, it is predicted that a change in pulse wavesexceeds the threshold, and thus when a change in pulse waves exceeds thethreshold, it is determined that the user makes a false answer and isfalse, or the user is not authorized to perform the data processing.When determining that the user is false, the MFP 1 stops scanning anddoes not perform the user-instructed data processing.

On the other hand, when a change in pulse waves does not exceed thethreshold between the start and the end of the questions, it isdetermined that the user does not make the false answers and the user istrue or authorized to perform the data processing. The MFP 1 performsthe processing of scanning the receipt 300 and transmitting the scannedreceipt 300 to the expense system as a user-instructed data processingwhen determining that the user is true.

Whether a change in pulse waves exceeds the threshold may be determinedbefore or after the user presses an answer button, or whether a changein pulse waves exceeding the threshold is present may be determined fromamong the total pulse waves. Further, whether the user is true or falsemay be determined depending on whether an average value of the pulsewaves in a certain period of time exceeds the threshold.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operations of the MFP 1 when auser instructs a data processing. The CPU 101 in the MFP 1 operatesaccording to the operation programs stored in the ROM 102 or the like sothat the operations illustrated in the flowchart are performed.

In step S01, when the CPU 101 permits user's login, in step S02, the CPU101 starts receiving biological information transmitted from thebiological information detector 200 mounted on user's arm or the like innear field wireless communication, and then in step S03, the CPU 101receives a user-instructed data processing.

Then in step S04, the CPU 101 determines whether the start key 132 ispressed, and if not pressed (NO in step S04), waits for the start key132 to be pressed. When the start key 132 is pressed (YES in step S04),in step S05, the CPU 101 displays the first question and the answerbuttons on the display 134, and then determines in step S06 whether theanswer is made or whether an answer button is pressed. If not answered(NO in step S06), the CPU 101 waits for the answer to be made, and whenanswered (YES in step S06), the CPU 101 displays a next question and theanswer buttons on the display 134 in step 507.

In step S08, the CPU 101 determines whether the answer is made, and ifnot answered (NO in step S08), the CPU 101 waits for the answer to bemade, and if answered (YES in step S08), the CPU 101 determines in stepS09 whether a predetermined number of questions are terminated. Thenumber of questions may be uniformly and previously set depending on theconditions such as type of a data processing or user, or irrespective ofconditions. When not terminating a predetermined number of questions (NOin step S09), the CPU 101 returns to step S07 to display a next questionand the answer buttons. When terminating a predetermined number ofquestions (YES in step S09), the CPU 101 analyzes the biologicalinformation in step S10, and determines in step S11 whether the user istrue or false. When determining that the user is true (YES in step S11),the CPU 101 performs the received data processing in step S12. Whendetermining that the user is false (NO in step S11), the CPU 101 stopsthe received data processing in step S13.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a plurality ofdifferent questions are selected and sequentially displayed on thedisplay 134 from among the questions stored in the fixed storage 110 orthe like after an instruction of a data processing is received andbefore the data processing is performed. On the other hand, whether theuser is authorized to perform the data processing, or true or whetherthe user is not authorized, or false is determined on the basis of theuser's biological information (pulse waves) detected by the biologicalinformation detector 200 while the user is answering the respectivequestions sequentially displayed on the display 134, and the dataprocessing is performed when the user is determined as true, and thedata processing is stopped and is not performed when the user isdetermined as false.

That is, a plurality of different questions are sequentially presentedto a user instructing to perform a processing, and the user's biologicalinformation is detected while the user is answering the respectivequestions, and thus the user's biological information more easilychanges when the user intentionally makes a wrong answer than when adefinite confirmation screen is presented once, thereby easily detectinga change in biological information (change in emotion). Thus, whetherthe user is authorized to perform the data processing can be accuratelydetermined on the basis of the biological information, therebypreventing a malicious data processing from being performed. Further,the illegally-processed receipt 300 can be prevented from being used inthe data processing, and thus it is possible to avoid determiningwhether the use is illegal after the receipt 300 is illegally used.

Other embodiment of the present invention will be described below withreference to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B. The present embodiment indicates thatthe questions are changed between a user and his/her proxy person.

As illustrated in FIG. 5A, when a user A instructs a data processing ofscanning and transmitting the receipt 300, the first question of “Is thereceipt your?” and the answer buttons “YES” and “NO” are displayed.After the use A answers the first question, the second question of “Haveyou already used the receipt for a request for payment?” and the answerbuttons “YES” and “NO” are displayed, and after the user answers thesecond question, the third question of “Did you rewrite date or paymentamount?” and the answer buttons “YES” and “NO” are displayed.

To the contrary, as illustrating in FIG. 5B, when a proxy user Binstructs the processing of scanning and transmitting the receipt 300,the first question of “Have you already used the receipt for a requestfor payment?” and the answer buttons “YES” and “NO” are displayedwithout presenting the question of “Is the receipt yours?” for IDconfirmation, and after the first question is answered, the secondquestion of “Did you rewrite date or payment amount?” and the answerbuttons “YES” and “NO” are displayed. In this way, the questions arechanged depending on the authority of a user, thereby avoiding thequestions not effective for the user, and presenting the appropriatequestions.

The presence of the authority of a data processing is previouslyregistered in the MFP 1, and the MFP 1 may confirm it when a user logsin.

An embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but thepresent invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example,the true/false determination information presented to a user may bedifferent per user, or depending on the past history even for the sameuser.

That is, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the MFP 1 stores time/date, username, type of data processing, determination result, presentedquestions, and the like for the past data processings, as historyinformation, in the fixed storage 110 or the like. The differentquestions are presented to the user A and the user B in the history.Further, it is desirable that not the questions presented in the pastbut new questions are presented to the user who has been asked thequestions in order to prevent unconscious answer.

Further, it is desirable that the same questions as the past ones aremade again to a user, such as a user C, who has been determined as“false”.

The scan/transmission processing is stopped when a user is determined asfalse according to the above embodiment, but the control method when auser is determined as “false” is not limited thereto. For example, thescan/transmission processing is performed but notification of thedetermination as “false” may be provided to an administrator via ane-mail or the like. Alternatively, scanned data may be added withattribute information such as caution mark. Alternatively, the loginformation of a destination apparatus may be additionally written, analarm sound may be issued, or a determination result or a message “Thetransmission is determined as illegal. Do you transmit it?” may bedisplayed on the display 134. Alternatively, presenting the questionsand detecting biological information may be performed again.

The description has been made assuming that a data processing is thescan/transmission processing, but when a data processing is to copy adocument or the like, a plurality of questions including a question of“Copying for use?” are made, and copying is performed when the user isdetermined as “true”, and copying may be stopped when the user isdetermined as “false”. Further, when color copying is to be done, aplurality of questions including a question of “color copying is forexternal use. Are you copying the document for external use?” are made,color copying is performed when the user is determined as “true”, andaggregated copying that a plurality of sheets of a document are copiedinto one sheet for saving print sheets, or copying in double-faced modemay be performed while performing monochrome copying when the user isdetermined as “false”.

Further, when an important document for internal use only is to beprinted, a plurality of questions including a question of “It is forinternal use only. Do you use it outside?” are made, the document isprinted when the user is determined as “true” and the print job may bediscarded when the user is determined as “false”.

Further, when the data stored in the box in the fixed storage 110configured of a hard disc in the MFP 1 is read, a plurality of questionsincluding a question of “It is for internal use only. Do you use itoutside?” are made, the data is read when the user is determined as“true”, and reading the data may be stopped when the user is determinedas “false”.

The above embodiment has been described assuming that the biologicalinformation detector 200 is provided separately from the MFP 1, but thebiological information detector 200 may be integrally provided with theMFP 1 as illustrated in FIG. 7, and it may be configured such that auser touches or places his/her finger or hand on the biologicalinformation detector 200 on the MFP 1 thereby to continuously detecthis/her biological information. The components in FIG. 7 are the same asin the MFP 1 in FIG. 1 except the biological information detector 200provided in the MFP 1.

Further, the MFP 1 receives and analyzes biological information detectedby the biological information detector 200 and determines whether a useris true or false according to the above embodiment, but the biologicalinformation detector 200 may analyze biological information and the MFP1 may acquire the analysis result.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a plurality ofitems of different true/false determination information are selectedfrom among true/false determination information stored in a storage, andare sequentially displayed on a display after an instruction of a dataprocessing is received and before the data processing is performed. Onthe other hand, a biological information detector capable of detectingbiological information of a user who instructs a data processing isprovided separately from or integrally with a data processor, whether auser is authorized or true or whether a user is not authorized or isfalse is determined on the basis of biological information of the userdetected by the biological information detector while the user isoperating the respective items of true/false determination informationsequentially displayed on the display, the data processing is performedwhen the user is determined as true, and the data processing is notperformed when the user is determined as false.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality ofitems of sequentially-displayed different true/false determinationinformation are for a user, and whether the user is authorized can beaccurately determined on the basis of biological information of the userwhen the user answers each question.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a plurality ofsequentially-displayed different questions include questions withcorrect answers reversed, and thus the user can be prevented fromunconsciously answering the questions, the biological information of theuser more easily changes when the user intentionally makes a wronganswer, and whether the user is true or false can be more accuratelydetermined.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a plurality ofitems of sequentially-displayed different true/false determinationinformation are different per user, and thus the same true/falsedetermination information is not necessarily presented even if a userknows the true/false determination information for other person, therebyaccurately determining whether the user is true or false.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a plurality ofitems of sequentially-displayed different true/false determination isdifferent depending on the authority given to a user, thereby accuratelydetermining whether the user is true or false depending on the authoritygiven to the user.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the true/falsedetermination information is classified per type of a data processing,and a plurality of items of different true/false determinationinformation are selected from the classification corresponding to areceived data processing, and displayed on the display, therebydetermining whether the user is true or false with higher accuracy byuse of the appropriate true/false determination information depending onthe type of the data processing.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the biologicalinformation changes depending on a change in user's emotion, and thusthe biological information of the user more easily changes when he/sheintentionally makes a wrong answer, and a change in biologicalinformation (change in emotion) can be more easily detected.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the biologicalinformation detector continuously detects biological information of auser while the user is operating each of a plurality of items ofdifferent true/false determination information displayed on the display.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the biologicalinformation detector is provided separately from the data processor,biological information detected by the biological information detectoris transmitted to the data processor, and whether the user is true orfalse is determined on the basis of the biological informationtransmitted from the biological information detector.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, when a true/falsedetermination part determines that the user is false, theuser-instructed data processing is stopped or the data processing isperformed and notification of the true/false determination result isprovided, thereby preventing the data processing from being performed bythe unauthorized user.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, when thetrue/false determination part determines that the user is false,notification of the true/false determination result is provided by atleast any of e-mail transmission to the manager of the data processor,write into log information, or when a data processing is a documentimage reading processing, addition of attribute information to imagedata obtained by the reading, and display on the display, and thus themanager or the like can easily know that the data processing isperformed by the unauthorized user.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, when thetrue/false determination part determines that the user is true, aprocessing of printing data to be printed on a sheet is performed.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, when thetrue/false determination part determines that the user is true, aprocessing of transmitting data to be transmitted to a transmissiondestination is performed.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, when thetrue/false determination part determines that the user is true, aprocessing of outputting color data is performed.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, when thetrue/false determination part determines that the user is true, aprocessing of reading data from the storage is performed.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, when thetrue/false determination part determines that the user is true, aprocessing of printing data to be printed on a sheet in color isperformed, and when the user is determined as false, a processing ofprinting data to be printed on a sheet in monochrome is performed.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, a pluralityof items of different true/false determination information aresequentially presented to a user who instructs to perform a processing,and biological information of the user is detected while the user isoperating each item of true/false determination information, and thusthe biological information of the user easily changes when he/sheintentionally makes a wrong answer than when a definite confirmationscreen is presented once, thereby easily detecting a change inbiological information (change in emotion). Thus, whether the user isauthorized can be determined on the basis of the biological information,thereby preventing a malicious data processing from being performed.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, a computerin the data processor can be caused to perform selecting a plurality ofitems of different true/false determination information from among thetrue/false determination information stored in the storage andsequentially displaying the items of true/false determinationinformation on the display after an instruction of a data processing isreceived and before the data processing is performed, determiningwhether a user is authorized or true or whether a user is not authorizedor is false on the basis of biological information of the user detectedby the biological information detector while the user is operating eachitem of displayed true/false determination information, causing the dataprocessing to be performed when the user is determined as true, andcausing the data processing not to be performed when the user isdetermined as false.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described andillustrated in detail, the disclosed embodiments are made for purposesof illustration and example only and not limitation. The scope of thepresent invention should be interpreted by terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A data processor comprising: a storage thatstores a plurality of items of true/false determination information; anda hardware processor that: receives an instruction of a data processingby a user; performs a data processing an instruction of which isreceived; selects a plurality of items of different true/falsedetermination information from among the true/false determinationinformation stored in the storage and sequentially presents the selecteditems of true/false determination information to a user after aninstruction of a data processing is received before the data processingis performed; determines whether a user is authorized on the basis ofbiological information of the user detected by a biological informationdetector while the user is operating each item of true/falsedetermination information sequentially presented; and performs a dataprocessing when the hardware processor determines that the user isauthorized, and stops performing a data processing when the hardwareprocessor determines that the user is not authorized, wherein thebiological information detector is provided separately from orintegrally with the data processor and can detect biological informationof a user who instructs a data processing.
 2. The data processoraccording to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor selects differenttrue/false determination information from the true/false determinationinformation presented in the past before a data processing, and presentsthe selected true/false determination information to a user.
 3. The dataprocessor according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of items ofsequentially-presented different true/false determination informationare questions for a user, and an operation of the user for each item oftrue/false determination information is an operation of answering eachquestion.
 4. The data processor according to claim 3, wherein aplurality of sequentially-presented different questions includequestions with correct answers reversed.
 5. The data processor accordingto claim 1, wherein a plurality of items of sequentially-presenteddifferent true/false determination information are different per user.6. The data processor according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of itemsof sequentially-presented different true/false determination informationare different depending on the authority given to a user.
 7. The dataprocessor according to claim 1, wherein the true/false determinationinformation is classified per type of a data processing, and thehardware processor selects a plurality of items of different true/falsedetermination information from the classification corresponding to adata processing received, and sequentially presents the selected itemsof true/false determination information.
 8. The data processor accordingto claim 1, wherein the biological information changes depending onuser's emotion.
 9. The data processor according to claim 1, wherein thebiological information detector can continuously detect biologicalinformation of a user while the user is operating each item oftrue/false determination information sequentially presented.
 10. Thedata processor according to claim 1, wherein the biological informationdetector is provided separately from the data processor and transmitsbiological information detected by the biological information detectorto the data processor, and the hardware processor determines whether theuser is true or false on the basis of the biological informationtransmitted from the biological information detector.
 11. The dataprocessor according to claim 1, wherein when the hardware processordetermines that the user is false, the hardware processor stops theuser-instructed data processing, or causes the data processing to beperformed but provides notification of the true/false determinationresult.
 12. The data processor according to claim 11, whereinnotification of a true/false determination result is provided by atleast any of e-mail transmission to the manager of the data processor,write into log information, or when a data processing performed by thehardware processor is a document image reading processing, addition ofattribute information to the image data obtained by the reading, andpresentation.
 13. The data processor according to claim 1, wherein whena data processing performed by the hardware processor is a processing ofprinting data to be printed on a sheet and the hardware processordetermines that the user is true, the hardware processor performs theprocessing of printing data to be printed on a sheet.
 14. The dataprocessor according to claim 1, wherein when a data processing performedby the hardware processor is a processing of transmitting data to betransmitted to an external transmission destination and the hardwareprocessor determines that the user is true, the hardware processorperforms the processing of transmitting data to be transmitted to anexternal transmission destination.
 15. The data processor according toclaim 1, wherein when a data processing performed by the hardwareprocessor is a processing of outputting color data and the hardwareprocessor determines that the user is true, the hardware processorperforms the processing of outputting color data.
 16. The data processoraccording to claim 1, wherein when a data processing performed by thehardware processor is a processing of reading data from the storage andthe hardware processor determines that the user is true, the hardwareprocessor performs the processing of reading data from the storage. 17.The data processor according to claim 1, wherein when a data processingperformed by the hardware processor is a processing of printing data tobe printed on a sheet in color or monochrome and the hardware processordetermines that the user is true, the hardware processor performs theprocessing of printing data to be printed on a sheet in color, and whenthe hardware processor determines that the user is false, the hardwareprocessor performs the processing of printing data to be printed inmonochrome.
 18. A data processor comprising: a storage that stores aplurality of items of true/false determination information; and ahardware processor that: receives an instruction of a data processing bya user; performs a data processing an instruction of which is received;selects any item of true/false determination information from among thetrue/false determination information stored in the storage and presentsthe selected item of true/false determination information to a userafter an instruction of a data processing is received before the dataprocessing is performed; determines whether a user is authorized on thebasis of biological information of the user detected by a biologicalinformation detector while the user is operating true/falsedetermination information presented; and performs a data processing whenthe hardware processor determines that the user is authorized, and stopsperforming a data processing when the hardware processor determines thatthe user is not authorized, wherein the biological information detectoris provided separately from or integrally with the data processor andcan detect biological information of a user who instructs a dataprocessing, and wherein the hardware processor selects differenttrue/false determination information from the true/false determinationinformation presented in the past before a data processing, and presentsthe selected different true/false determination information to a user.19. A data processing performance control method, wherein a dataprocessor includes a biological information detector that is providedseparately from or integrally with the data processor and can detectbiological information of a user who instructs a data processing, and astorage that stores a plurality of items of true/false determinationinformation, and performs: receiving an instruction of a data processingby a user; performing a data processing an instruction of which isreceived in the receiving; selecting a plurality of items of differenttrue/false determination information from among the true/falsedetermination information stored in the storage and sequentiallypresenting the selected item of true/false determination information toa user after an instruction of a data processing is received in thereceiving before the data processing is performed in the performing;determining whether a user is authorized on the basis of biologicalinformation of the user detected by the biological information detectorwhile the user is operating each item of sequentially-presentedtrue/false determination information; and performing a data processingwhen the user is determined as authorized in the determining, andstopping performing a data processing when the user is determined asunauthorized in the determining
 20. A data processing performancecontrol method, wherein a data processor includes a biologicalinformation detector that is provided separately from or integrally withthe data processor and can detect biological information of a user whoinstructs a data processing, and a storage that stores a plurality ofitems of true/false determination information, and performs: receivingan instruction of a data processing by a user; performing a dataprocessing an instruction of which is received in the receiving;selecting any item of true/false determination information from amongthe true/false determination information stored in the storage andpresenting the selected item of true/false determination information toa user after an instruction of a data processing is received in thereceiving before the data processing is performed in the performing;determining whether a user is authorized on the basis of biologicalinformation of the user detected by the biological information detectorwhile the user is operating presented true/false determinationinformation; and performing a data processing when the user isdetermined as authorized in the determining, and stopping performing adata processing when the user is determined as unauthorized in thedetermining, wherein different true/false determination information fromthe true/false determination information presented in the past before adata processing are selected and presented to a user in the presenting21. A non-transitory recording medium storing a computer readableprogram causing a computer in a data processor including a biologicalinformation detector that is provided separately from or integrally withthe data processor and can detect biological information of a user whoinstructs a data processing, and a storage that stores a plurality ofitems of true/false determination information, to perform: receiving aninstruction of a data processing by a user; performing a data processingan instruction of which is received in the receiving; selecting aplurality of items of different true/false determination informationfrom among the true/false determination information stored in thestorage and sequentially presenting the selected item of true/falsedetermination information to a user after an instruction of a dataprocessing is received in the receiving before the data processing isperformed in the performing; determining whether a user is authorized onthe basis of biological information of the user detected by thebiological information detector while the user is operating each item ofsequentially-presented true/false determination information; andperforming a data processing when the user is determined as authorizedin the determining, and stopping performing processing when the user isdetermined as unauthorized in the determining.
 22. A non-transitoryrecording medium storing a computer readable program causing a computerin a data processor including a biological information detector that isprovided separately from or integrally with the data processor and candetect biological information of a user who instructs a data processing,and a storage that stores a plurality of items of true/falsedetermination information, to perform: receiving an instruction of adata processing by a user; performing a data processing an instructionof which is received in the receiving; selecting any item of true/falsedetermination information from among the true/false determinationinformation stored in the storage and presenting the selected item oftrue/false determination information to a user after an instruction of adata processing is received in the receiving before the data processingis performed in the performing; determining whether a user is authorizedon the basis of biological information of the user detected by thebiological information detector while the user is operating presentedtrue/false determination information; and performing a data processingwhen the user is determined as authorized in the determining, andstopping performing a data processing when the user is determined asunauthorized in the determining, wherein different true/falsedetermination information from the true/false determination informationpresented in the past before a data processing is selected and presentedto a user in the presenting